


We're Gone From Ourselves

by theshadownworld



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, BAMF Magnus Bane, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bad Parent Robert Lightwood, Bad Parenting, Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M, Prostitution, Sex, Smut, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-04-05 04:01:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14035749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theshadownworld/pseuds/theshadownworld
Summary: Magnus isn't just a prostitute.  He's a college student, a dancer.  And a prostitute.Alec is rich, and wants to go to law school.  His parents are hiding something from him,The two meet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> New fic, guys! I know you all want me to finish Your Heart In My Hands, but I had this idea and just had to write it. I will finish YHIMH as soon as possible.  
> Before you ask, yes I know a stripper and a prostitute aren't the same thing, just go with it for now.  
> Please enjoy!

"Law school?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Alec leaned back in his chair, glaring at his mother. He knew she wouldn't understand. After all, she wanted her eldest child to go into the family business when he finished college. It wasn't talked about, the business. Alec didn't know much about it because his parents deemed him too young to be involved. So it could wait. Once he was out of school, his father would introduce him to their way of living.

"Because look at you and Dad. Both of you are miserable. And you don't even trust me with any of the business you're so set on having me run one day. I want to do something meaningful. I want to help people. You don't do that."

"We do help people, Alec."

"What do you mean? How?"

Robert Lightwood sighed and looked to his wife. She shook her head.

"You're not ready. You're not old enough. Once you finish college, you will know."

"If you won't tell me, I'm not doing it."

"Well then good luck paying for your own law school tuition. And everything else you might need, for that matter."

Alec was suddenly furious. "Why do you never support me?" he yelled. "Why does what I want not matter?"

"It will matter when you start wanting the right things."

"This is my dream! Dad, I've been wanting this for so-"

"Dreams don't pay the bills. You have to learn that."

Alec slammed his fists on the table in front of him and stormed out of the room, not heeding his mother's calls for him to come back and yelling how dare he treat his parents like that.

He made his way to his room and slammed the door behind him before collapsing onto his bed. He couldn't cry. He wasn't gonna cry.

But he was exhausted, and he thought maybe a nap would make him feel better. He was nearly unconscious when there was a knock on the door.

He groaned, though he knew who it would be.

"Come in, Iz."

She entered the room with a smile on her face, immediately dropping it when she saw her brother's expression. Alec sat up in bed and patted the spot next to him, inviting her to it down.

"It didn't go well, did it?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Your entire being, at the moment," she laughed. Alec couldn't help but smile.

'Yeah, it sucked," he said.

"What happened?"

"They want me to inherit their business, whatever that is. You don't know anything about it, do you?"

"Haven't heard a peep."

Alec flopped back down on the bed with a sigh. "What are they hiding?" he wondered aloud. "What's so bad that we can't know about it? Dad said I'm too young. I'm gonna be twenty-one, Iz!"

"Then I'm sure you'll find out soon. But you have to tell me when you do. No keeping me in the dark."

"Of course. I couldn't keep a secret from you even if I tried."

"And that's why I love you so much."

Izzy laid down next to him, and her smile was back. "So what are we doing for your-"

"We're not doing anything for my birthday."

"Come on! This is a big one! You're turning twenty-one tomorrow, which means you can legally drink. We owe it to the world to at least get you drunk, if not laid."

"IZZY."

"Oh please, you know it's what you want!"

"It absolutely is not."

"I know you've never been with anyone before, Alec. Don't you think it's time?"

"No. It will happen when it happens. There's no need to go looking for it. The universe will bring it to me."

"You sound like a freaking Buddhist, big bro. When did you become so zen?"

"I don't know."

"Well it sounds to me just like an excuse to not go for anyone."

"I'm not interested in anyone. Why do you care so much anyway?"

"I just want you to be happy." Izzy played with her hair.

"What aren't you telling me?"

She pouted. "Well, Jace, Clary, and I made reservations at Valentine's-"

"The strip club?!"

"Yes, the strip club."

"Why the hell would you do that?!"

"You need to loosen up, Alec! It's gonna be fun!"

"No, it isn't, because I'm not going. But have fun with Jace and Clary."

Alec rose from the bed and went to the door, opening it, and motioning for his sister to leave. Izzy didn't budge.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you are going to a strip club with me whether you want to or not!"

"Not happening. Why don't you go cancel your reservations?"

Isabelle gave him her best sad face, eyes shining up at him.

"It's not gonna work."

"I'll drag you there if I have to."

"You think you can take me?"

"Maybe not, but I know Jace, Clary and I could together. If you want to do this the hard way, I'm game."

Alec let out a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. It was clear he wasn't getting out of this. Honestly, though? How bad could it be? He wasn't exactly opposed to having a hot guy stripping for him, but he had just come out to Izzy not a month ago and he wasn't sure he was ready to be in such a situation with her around. Not to mention Jace, who he secretly had been crushing on for years….

But Izzy didn't need to know that.

He groaned. "Fine! I'll go with you to your little club for my birthday tomorrow."

Izzy squealed. "Great! Now what are you going to wear?"

 

 

Isabelle wouldn't stop playing with the collar of his shirt, which she had picked out for Alec. It was a size too small, but his sister insisted that it fit his body well and showed off his muscles. Perfect for seducing the boys, she said.

Jace and Clary were to meet them at the club. Alec wasn't dreading it as much as he had before. Maybe it would be fun. Izzy was set on getting him drunk and that didn't seem like such a bad idea anymore. Maybe it would help him forget his problems with his parents.

The club was poorly lit except the stages illuminated in pink and blue lights. Alec had never been there before, but he was glad to see there were both male and female dancers. Good. Not that he thought Izzy would take him to an all-girls strip club, but he was relieved it wasn't all gay. Maybe Jace would like it, even. He had Clary, but by the looks of things, he was practically drooling over the dancing girls. Clary nudged his arm and gave him a look. Jace's happy face fell as he remembered he had a girlfriend. He poured for the rest of the night. Or at least until he had too much to drink.

But Alec wasn't a big drinker, no matter how many cocktails Izzy pushed at him and no matter how good getting drunk sounded. It might have been his birthday but he knew he would be the responsible one and drive everyone home safely.

He was enjoying himself enough, but none of the dancers really stood out to him. They were all hot and shirtless, wrapped around the poles in the center of the stages, winking at the girls in the crowds.

Then Alec saw him.

The man was covered in glitter, hair spiked up and highlighted with pinks and purples. He was Asian, and had black eyeliner circling his eyes. He had the strongest looking arms Alec had ever seen, and without his shirt on, his perfect abs were visible.

The way he danced was different from the others. He didn't strip as much as he moved to the music, swaying his hips and stepping fast on his feet.

Alec wanted him. Izzy must have noticed.

"How much do you think it will cost for him to give you a private dance?" she all but slurred.

"Don't even think about it."

Not that he would really mind getting a private dance, it was just that Alec wasn't quite ready to be so… intimate with a stranger.

"Come on, it's your birthday!"

Isabelle made her way over to the man the moment he was off the stage. Alec didn't hear what she said to him, but his sister pointed him out to the dancer and he looked over to Alec, their eyes meeting for the first time. The dancer winked at him and nodded to Izzy before pushing his way through the crowd towards Alec.

"Alexander, is it?" the man said to him. Alec couldn't think, couldn't breathe. God, this man was beautiful.

The man chuckled as Alec opened and closed his mouth, trying to speak. He linked his arm with Alec's. "Come with me," he said.

The two of them made their way towards a back door by the stage the man had just left. He pushed Alec through and followed behind him.

"So," the dancer said. "What do you like?"

"You," Alec said without thinking. He regretted it until the man let out a brilliant laugh.

"Stop it, Alexander. You're going to make me blush."

"Sorry."

The man placed his hands on Alec's waist and looked into his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Actually," Alec placed his hands on the man's and moved them away from his body. "I'd like to know your name."

The man's face contorted in confusion.

"Why?" he asked.

"Sorry," Alec said again. "You probably don't tell people your name. I understand, it's just, my sister is the reason I came here tonight. I'm not really looking for a private dance or anything but if I left here with your name, I'd say it was a good birthday."

"Ah, a birthday boy. Well, if you don't want a dance, why don't I buy you a drink?"

"You don't have to-"

"I insist. But I won't tell you my name."

"Then how am I supposed to find you next time?"

"You don't even know me and you're already looking to meet a second time?"

"Well, I… yeah."

"Why?"

"Um…" Alec had to think. Why was he so infatuated with this man? What was it about him? Alec couldn't quite place it. "You're a great dancer," he decided to say. "The way you move is beautiful, and I just… I don't know. You're just… I don't know."

"Fair enough. Let's go see about that drink."

They left the back room together, hand in hand. Alec was sweating a lot and he knew it wasn't because of the temperature in the club.

They came to the bar and the dancer talked to the bartender. When he turned around he was holding two drinks and offered one to Alec.

"It's my favorite," he said. "It will blow you away."

You already have, Alec thought. He took a sip and made the face he always made when he drank alcohol. The man laughed.

"I guess it just isn't for you?"

"No, it's great. It's very… strong."

"It is."

Alec could have spent all night with the man. They stayed together and talked for a long time. Alec would have drank more with him, but he needed to stay sober. Well, relatively sober. He had a few drinks over the time he was there but didn't let it go too far.

"I'd best be going," the man finally said, a fond smile on his face. "I have another dance soon. You can watch, if you like."

"I'd love to, but the truth is I should probably get my drunk sister home and get to bed myself. Classes tomorrow."

"I understand. Goodbye, Alexander. I look forward to our next meeting."

"It would make it easier if you told me your name."

The man winked. "Where would be the fun in that?"

He disappeared into the crowd.

Just then, Izzy came up behind him and tackled him in a hug.

"How was your private dance? He's a hottie."

"There wasn't a dance, we just had drinks. He even bought them when I told him it was my birthday."

Izzy didn't appear to have heard his words because she was smiling dopily and staring at a guy across the room.

"Izzy."

She looked back at him.

"Where are Jace and Clary?"

"I dunno."

"Help me find them."

"Kay."

Izzy stumbled around the room with Alec's arm around her. They found their friends in no time and Alec somehow got all three of them into his car. They were significantly more drunk than he was. He was glad he hadn't had more drinks with the glittery man.

Once home, he led Izzy to her room while Jace and Clary fended for themselves. The moment he got to his room, he took off the annoyingly tight shirt Izzy picked out for him and put on a comfortable t-shirt.

He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG guys what did you think of the episode last night? I was so happy to see Malec again I was practically crying.  
> Class was cancelled today so I spent the morning writing this. Some of you had interesting ideas as to where this is going but nobody guessed correctly yet. I hope you like this chapter!

Magnus was never late. He hated being late, it ruined his image as a dedicated worker. But he had too much to drink last night and slept through the day until right before his shift at seven that night, He didn't think he'd ever slept so much in his life.

He thought about the boy he had met at the club. God, he was handsome. Magnus almost wanted to give him his name but wouldn't want to break his own rule. But it was fun while it lasted, and Magnus was not so secretly hoping he would see him again.

It was a Monday night, and the sun had already set. Usually the clients would swarm the brothel on Thursdays and Fridays. And the weekends, but Magnus didn't work weekends there, instead choosing to work at the strip club because it gave him the opportunity to dance and oh, he loved dancing.

Maybe someday he would be able to do that without also taking his clothes off for drooling men and women. He appreciated Alexander; he didn't see Magnus as just a stripper, but as a person. He had asked his name, he had wanted to see him again after knowing him for two minutes.

He was special, Magnus thought.

He came to a stop outside the brothel and parked his car. Most people didn't know, but Valentine Morgenstern owned both the brothel and the strip club Magnus worked at. And he wasn't a very nice man. He hated when people came in late.

Valentine met him at the door.

"You're late, Bane."

"I apologize, sir. Rough night at the club, I'm sure you know."

"What I know is that you're making excuses. I saw you hanging around that boy instead of making me some money. It's your own fault you're hungover and trying to weasel your way out of punishment is unacceptable."

Magnus should have known Valentine would punish him. He only wondered how.

"That man over there," Valentine pointed, "has been waiting for a nice young man to blow him for twenty minutes. Nobody else wants to do it because he can be a bit… rough. I've been saving him for you. Go on." He smiled an evil smile.

Magnus looked over at the man. He was somewhat repulsive. He had a cigar hanging from his mouth, which disgusted Magnus. He didn't understand why anyone would smoke unless they wanted an early death. The man was also about three times Magnus's size but he couldn't tell if it was body fat or muscle that made him so. He was standing at a table with four empty bottles of beer and one in his hand. Magnus hoped he hadn't drank all of those. He hated a rowdy client.

Which Valentine must have known.

So Magnus unwillingly shuffled through people and stopped at the man's side. He cleared his throat and put on a fake smile. The man turned to him.

"Hello, pretty thing," he slurred. It appeared he had drank all those beers.

"Wanna take this upstairs?" Magnus said airily.

The man responded by grabbing his ass. Magnus rolled his eyes and led him up the stairs. He unlocked the door to one of the rooms and locked it again when the two of them were inside. It ensured the most privacy. Magnus turned to the man.

The man threw a handful of bills at Magnus's feet. "Get on your knees," he commanded.

Not having much of a choice, Magnus complied, though the last thing he wanted was to put this man's dick in his mouth.

The man quickly unbuttoned his pants, revealing a thick, fully hard cock. He pushed it towards Magnus's face.

Magnus breathed over the member, causing it to jump in excitement before licking from the balls to the tip. The man was impatient and grabbed Magnus by the hair and put a thumb on his chin to open his mouth. Without further warning, the man shoved his entire length down Magnus's throat, making him gag and choke. Usually his clients were a little more gentle.

The man thrust in and out until Magnus had to forcibly push him away to get some air. The man allowed it for a second but then was buried deep inside him again. Drool was running down his chin, and Magnus felt disgusting and violated like he never really had before.

When the man finally pulled back, he moaned but didn't come.

"Bend over on the bed," he said. So he wanted to fuck him too, huh?

"That will cost you extra. You only paid for a blowjob."

The man slapped him across the face, hard.

"I said bend over."

"And I said no." Magnus got to his feet to face the man. Magnus wasn't small by any means, but this man towered above him. He wasn't weak, either, but this man was clearly stronger than he was.

The man's first punch landed on the left side of his face. Surely it would bruise. By the next punch, Magnus was ready and caught the man's fist in his own. The man looked surprised when Magnus kicked him in the chest, making him fly backwards into the wall. He rushed to the door and tried to unlock it quickly but the man was already on his feet again and grabbed Magnus by the back of his shirt, Wrestling him down to the floor, the man circled his hands around Magnus's neck and and squeezed.

"I guess I'll just have to fuck your corpse, whore."

"HELP!" Magnus screamed while he still had the air. "HELP ME!"

There was a knocking at the door. "Magnus?" a voice said. "Magnus, are you in there?"

It was Catarina. He tried to make more noise but couldn't even breathe. Right before he passed out, the door flung open and Catarina stood there like a freaking angel. The man immediately let go of him when Catarina kicked him in the side, sending him crumpled to the floor.

"Magnus," she said, kneeling next to him. "Are you okay?"

Magnus cleared his sore throat and nodded. Catarina ran a hand over the bruises on his neck.

"Let's get you out of here." And she helped her friend up, supporting his weight as they left the room. She took him to Valentine.

"Sir," she said. "That man attacked Magnus."

"Hmm." He seemed disinterested. "Now why would he do that? Did Magnus not give him what he wanted?"

"He didn't want to pay for it," Magnus said in a raspy voice.

Valentine slapped him across the face as the man did.

"Magnus. You are nothing more than a whore. If the client wants to fuck you, you let them fuck you. That man is a regular. Do you think he will come back with what you pulled tonight?"

Magnus was silent.

"Answer me."

"No, sir, I don't."

Valentine sighed. "You remember what happened to Raphael, don't you, Magnus? We wouldn't want that happening to you, would we?"

Magnus's eyes widened. "No, sir. I'll do better."

"Good. You owe me for this, Bane."

Catarina convinced their employer to let her take her friend home for the night. She drove Magnus's car to his apartment.

"Are you gonna quit?" she asked.

"You know I can't."

"Because of your father?"

"Yes. And besides, even if I did quit, he would find me. I can't end up like Raphael, Cat."

"I know. I worry about that, too."

"I have class in the morning. I should rest. I don't know how I'll explain these bruises to anyone…."

Catarina kissed him on the forehead and left him alone in his apartment.

Magnus was so tired, and dreaded the next day already.

 

 

Magnus needed coffee like he needed air, that morning. He was glad he wouldn't be working until the next day because it gave him enough time to get his schoolwork done. It was a Tuesday, so that meant he would spend most of the day in dancing classes, which he would never complain about.

He decided to stop at a Starbucks on the way to class.

Just as he was coming through the door, he knocked into someone and hot coffee spilled all over the front of his shirt. He winced at the pain and looked up into hazel eyes.

"Alexander?"

He looked distressed about spilling his coffee on someone, but a smile lit up his face when he saw who he bumped into. Then the panic was back.

"Magnus! I'm so sorry, let me- I mean, I have an extra shirt in my car. Let me- I'll get it for you."

Magnus followed him out of the shop to Alec's car, He pulled a duffle from the back and handed Magnus a black t-shirt. Magnus stripped his wet shirt off right there to put on the new one, and noticed Alec looking at his chest.

"Thank you, Alexander."

"Sure. I mean, I shouldn't have spilt my coffee on you, so…."

They were silent for a moment.

"How did you find out my name?"

"Oh, uh, I asked around. I went back to the club last night but they said you weren't there."

'You came looking for me again?"

"I told you I would."

Magnus smied.

"Oh my God," Alec suddenly said. "What the hell happened to your neck? And your eye?"

"I fell down some stairs."

"Magnus. You don't get bruises like that from falling down some stairs."

"It doesn't matter. Why do you care, anyway?"

"Because someone obviously hurt you." He could see the anger in Alec's eyes.

"It's nothing I can't handle."

'"Tell me who it was and I'll have them put in jail."

"He's already in jail. It was a mugger. He jumped me on my way home last night and punched me, strangled me. Someone saw and stopped him before he could really hurt me."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here anyway? Do you go to school here?"

"Yes, mostly for dance. You?"

"I'm an English major. Though I'd like to go to law school. But my parents won't allow it."

"Really? Why not? It sounds like you could be successful and make a lot of money. Most parents dream of having their kids be doctors or lawyers."

"Well, not them. They want me to run their business when I'm old enough."

"What business?"

"I'm not sure. They won't tell me."

"So make your own business."

"I would, but they have all the money I would need to get me started. They won't support me."

"Oh. That's a shame." Magnus wished he could help.

"Where were you last night that you got mugged? You said you were coming home. From where?"

"My friend Catarina's home. We got together for drinks. Normally I'd be able to take on a mugger, as it's not my first time being attacked, but this one was quite large and I was drunk."

"You've been mugged before? You have some bad luck."

Had Magnus actually been mugged before? No. But this wasn't the first time a client had hit him and left a mark.

"I should get to class," Magnus said. "I do hate being late."

"Let me buy you a coffee first. Then I'll walk you there. Wouldn't want you getting mugged on the way."

Magnus laughed. "Okay."

"So," Alec said as they walked. "What do you do other than strip? Do you have another job?"

"No. I'm a dancer and it's hard to find a job that allows me to do that, hence the stripping. I like to think of it more as dancing. It makes me happy, for the most part."

"You can pay your bills just by dancing on the weekends?"

No. But all he did was hum.

"Do you have family?"

"I have a father, but he doesn't like me much. He blames me for my mother's death…. Sorry, I don't know why I told you that."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past."

As they approached the performing arts building, Alec grabbed Magnus by the hand before he could go in. Magnus turned to look at him.

"Go out with me," Alec said. "Just for a drink. I'll buy this time." He smiled, and how could Magnus say no?

"Of course. When?"

"How about tonight? Meet me at the club?"

Magnus wasn't sure how he felt about going to the club while he wasn't working. Valentine would probably see him there and if he was with Alec, he could be punished for pursuing a relationship.

"Actually, why don't we just meet at my place?"

"Alright."

Magnus gave him the address and waved to him as he walked through the door. For the first time, he couldn't wait for his dance class to be over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I know vaguely where I want this story to go, but I haven't worked out the details yet. If you have any ideas or requests, leave a comment we'll see if it works!  
> See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for you all! Please enjoy!

"Izzy," he said into the phone. "I have a date."

His sister squealed. "Oh my God, with who?"

"The dancer at the club. His name is Magnus, I found out when I went looking for him yesterday, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. Where are you two going?"

"We're meeting at his place for drinks."

"And sex?"

"Izzy."

"Sorry. What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know. I guess what I'm wearing right now."

"Oh no."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with the way I dress!"

Izzy chuckled. "That's what you think. This Magnus guy seems pretty… well, fancy. Did you see all the glitter? If you don't dress to impress, you could lose him."

"Thanks, but I'm pretty sure my dazzling personality will keep that from happening."

"Stop. You're starting to sound like Jace."

"Whatever. The point is, I'm not changing my clothes."

"Fine. Where does he live, anyway? Somewhere elegant?"

"You just want to know so you can stalk us."

"What!... No, of course not."

"You're a terrible liar."

"I know. Now go to class and then get ready for your hot date."

 

 

Classes couldn't have ended fast enough. It surprised Alec, but he was already beyond excited to see Magnus again, and he'd only met him twice.

What was wrong with him? Were things moving too fast? What if he messed things up?

But Magnus seemed interested in him, too, so maybe everything was okay.

His last class dragged on, the professor going on and on about Charles Dickens. While some may respect and admire the author, Alec wasn't fan of "A Tale of Two Cities." Half of the words in the book were gibberish, and Alec found himself dreading reading the rest of it. His teacher was really enthusiastic about it though, which Alec could appreciate. He had his own books he could "geek out" over for hours, as Isabelle knew quite well.

When the professor finally dismissed them, Alec was the first out of the room. He looked at the time and found it was still two hours before he was to meet with Magnus.

He started to question himself. What if Magnus decided he didn't really like Alec? What if he should change his clothes after all? He thought about this as he drove back home.

Isabelle met him at the door.

"I thought you had your hot date? What happened?"

"Nothing. It's in two hours."

Izzy looked him up and down. She let out a chuckle and said, "You're going to wear that?"

"Is it that bad?"

"Come with me."

She led the two of them through their house to Alec's room. Izzy spent the next twenty minutes ripping apart Alec's closet, throwing clothes all over the room, trying to find something she deemed suitable for him to wear.

"I'm not wearing that," he said.

"Why not? It's cool!"

"It's pink. And the only reason it's in there is because you bought it for me."

"Come on! Not any man can pull off a pink shirt. You're one of them!"

"Forget it."

Izzy rolled her eyes with a sigh, pulling out a new shirt, this one navy blue. She raised an eyebrow at her brother, silently asking what he thought.

"Eh," he said. He didn't really care what he wore - as long as it wasn't pink - now he was just playing with his sister, trying to frustrate her in return for every time she did him.

"Come on, Alec. I'm trying here. Can you meet me half way?"

He let out a breath and nodded. "The navy one is fine."

Izzy smiled.

"So," she said, beginning to organize Alec's clothes back into his closet. "When are you going to kiss him?"

"Iz."

"It's a fair question."

"I don't even know if he likes me."

"He wouldn't invite you into his home if he didn't like you."

Alec thought about that. "We'll see what happens," was all he said.

He shooed Izzy out of his room to get ready. He put on the shirt, brushed his teeth, and tried to tame his wild hair.

When it was time to go, Alec felt butterflies in his stomach. He scolded himself, thinking back to what his sister said.

Magnus's apartment was… well, less flamboyant than Magnus was himself. Alec pulled up and parked the car. The brick building was in the seedy part of town and seriously needed a power wash, as it was covered in moss and mold, more black than it was brick-red.

Alec made his way inside the building and went straight to the elevator and pushed the button to Magnus's floor. He knocked on the door, and it opened seconds later.

"Alexander!" Magnus exclaimed when he saw him. "You're early."

"I - yeah. I'm sorry, I just -"

"It's not like I mind," he smiled. "Come on in."

The apartment was scarcely furnished, having only a small couch in the living area and a small television, lamp, and round coffee table. The carpet on the floor had questionable stains on it. One was blue, and Alec wondered what had been spilled that was that color.

"I have cocktails," Magnus called from the kitchen area as Alec looked around. He went into the living room with two drinks in hand, noticing Alec looking at his book shelf.

"You're an English major," Magnus said. "See anything you like?"

"Some. You read all this?"

"Not really." Magnus handed Alec the drink. "They're my father's."

"Where is your father? Does he live here, too?"

Magnus let out a humorless laugh. "No, he wouldn't want to live with me."

"Why not? Where is he?"

"It doesn't matter."

Alec got the hint. Magnus didn't want to talk about it.

"So," Magnus changed the subject. "What should we do for our first date?"

"I thought we were just having drinks."

"As good as my cocktails are, I was thinking of doing something...more."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Cooking."

Alec smiled. "You want to cook. Here?"

"Yeah, I never do it and it could be fun. Why, do you think my kitchen is too small?"

"No. I just think maybe we should think about cooking at my house next time."

"Fine. But tonight we're here so let's make the most of it."

"Alright. What do you want to cook?'

"Well, I was looking online and found the hardest recipe I could find -"

"Why would you do that?" Alec laughed.

"It's not fun if it's not challenging."

"Fair enough."

"But we'll need to go shopping. I don't even know what garam masala is."

"What is it you want to make, exactly?"

"Kashmiri Lamb. The pictures online looked delicious."

"Let's do it."

The smile Magnus gave him made Alec's heart beat faster.

Magnus didn't have a car for himself. He apparently couldn't afford one so he and his friend Catarina shared one. He didn't have it that night, so they took Alec's to the grocery store and wandered the aisles.

"Alright," Magnus said, "we need red chili peppers, green chili peppers, ginger root, cumin seeds -"

"What are cumin seeds?"

"I'm guessing they're a type of seed."

Alec rolled his eyes and Magnus laughed.

Magnus continued, "Lamb meat, plain yogurt, saffron threads, almonds, ground turmeric, and cilantro."

Alec let out a whistle. "Are you sure you want to make this? It's so many ingredients, it can't be cheap. I don't even know what ground turmeric is."

"Alexander, I have the money. I just got my paycheck from Valentine, I can afford to indulge a bit. Are you backing out?'

"Of course not. I'm up for the challenge."

"Good."

The two of them paid for the ingredients, and left the store. Magnus wouldn't let Alec see how much money they spent, so Alec assumed it was a lot.

They hauled the groceries up to Magnus's apartment and dumped them onto the kitchen counter.

"Shit," Magnus said, looking through the cupboard under the sink. "I don't think my blender is big enough."

"That's okay, we can just half the recipe and do it twice. Don't panic, I'm sure it will come out just fine."

"Alright. Here, take the lamb and cut it into cubes."

Alec did as he was told, and tried not to laugh at Magnus as he forgot to put the top on the blender before plugging it in.  
"I didn't know it would turn on just by plugging it in!" he defended. "I thought there would be a button or something."

"Have you never used this blender before?"

Magnus looked down as if embarrassed. "It's my first time. I told you, I don't cook much."

"So why did you pick this for our first date?"

"Because it's an adventure!"

"If you say so," Alec laughed.

"Just cut your lamb and shut up," he smiled.

Magnus figured out how to use the blender and mixed the ingredients into a paste, then repeated the process with the other half of the recipe. Alec finished his task and put the lamb to the side. Magnus burned himself on the skillet as he cooked the vegetable oil and onions. He stirred in the paste and lamb and cooked some more, adding the yogurt, saffron, and almonds after ten minutes. All in all, it took almost two hours to make and Alec could tell Magnus was getting antsy standing at the stove that long. But he was determined to finish

"It's nearly ready," Magnus said, obviously proud of the work they had done.

"I feel like I didn't help much."

"Nonsense. You were great moral support. And you didn't laugh at me… much."

After distributing some of the meal into bowls, Magnus swirled and made his way to the couch. He didn't seem to have a dining room or a table other than the one in front of the couch, so they ate there.

It was one of the best things Alec had ever put in his mouth. He told Magnus so, earning him the most beautiful smile Alec had ever seen.

"This is wonderful, Alexander. Thank you for coming."

"My pleasure."

They finished eating and Magnus took their bowels to the sink, meaning to wash them later. When he returned, he sat a little closer to Alec. Alec's heart sped up.

"I had a really good time tonight," he almost whispered, leaning closer, eyes clearly on Alec's lips.

"Me too."

When they were half an inch away from their first kiss, a loud, annoying ringtone sounded throughout the room. Magnus sighed and pulled back, apologizing for the interruption. His face was one of irritation until he looked at the name on the phone, the expression falling to one of defeat and disappointment. He picked up the phone on his way to the kitchen to get some privacy. Alec couldn't really hear what was said, but he got the feeling Magnus wasn't happy.

Magnus hung up the phone with a loud sigh and reentered the living space.

"I'm so sorry, Alexander, that was my boss."

"Valentine?"

"Yeah. He wants me to come in."

"Now? I thought you only worked at the club on weekends?"

"I kind of owe him a favor. I have to go."

"Oh…. Well, how about we go out again some time? I… I really like you, Magnus."

"I really like you, too. But I'll see you around campus. We can talk then to set up another date. I really have to go now. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

Alec walked Magnus out of the apartment and offered him a ride to the club.

"Uh, that's okay, I'll just take the bus."

"I don't mind giving you a ride."

"I'm fine, really."

Alec couldn't help feeling he was missing something. Why was Magnus acting this way? Then again, he didn't know him that well. Maybe this was normal for him?

"Okay," he settled on. "I'll see you around, then."

Magnus gave him one last smile before turning in the other direction. "Goodbye, Alec," he called back.

Alec couldn't wait for their second date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me your thoughts! Where do you think the story is going? Any ideas on what should happen next?  
> See you all next time!
> 
> Oh and for whatever reason, this site keeps posting two notes at the bottom of my chapters, so just ignore the second one, I know there isn't a new episode tonight.  
> Blessings!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I'm back to writing my fanfiction! So sorry for the delay, I was very busy working on my original story (which I finished the first draft of!)  
> I will do my best to work on this, and Your Heart in My Hands (which is almost done!)  
> I feel like this is really short but otherwise okay.  
> Please enjoy!

The first thing Magnus did when he parted ways with Alec was call Catarina. Usually they drove to work together, as they shared a car, but Magnus needed it tonight. It would take him an eternity to walk to the brothel on foot from his apartment.

"Magnus? Is everything okay?" Catarina said in a tired voice.

"Everything's fine, I just need the car. Mind if I come get it?"

"No, not at all. What's going on?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll fill you in tomorrow. Just leave the keys by the door, will you?"

"All right."

He was at her apartment in ten minutes, grabbing the keys and leaving as quickly as he came. He raced to Valentine's.

The man greeted him at the door intimidatingly.

"Glad you took your time getting here."

"I had to-"

"No excuses. They won't change your situation."

"...And that is?"

Valentine smiled evilly. "Come with me."

The two men made their way through the building, and Magnus was led down some stairs that he never even knew existed. He tripped down the last step in the dark before a light was turned on.

Someone kicked him when he was down, and he looked up into an unfamiliar face.

"Meet Jonathan," Valentine said. "My son. And his friend, Sebastian. You'll be their entertainment for the night. And any night they want afterwards."

"Get up," spat Jonathan.

Magnus clutched at his side but did as he was told. Once on his feet, Jonathan hit him again, sending him back to the floor. He tried to kick him again but Magnus blocked the blow.

"Get up."

He did. He was knocked back down.

"Get up."

Magnus was ready this time. He grabbed Jonathan's foot as it came at him again and twisted it, spinning the man around and sending him face first onto the floor.

As his friend lay on the ground, Sebastian came for him next, but Magnus was stronger. All it took was a well aimed punch to fend him off. He met the floor next to Jonathan.

Magnus turned to Valentine, ready to fight him as well.

Valentine didn't look very concerned.

"You'd better start behaving, Bane."

"Fuck you." He began walking to the stairs.

"I'll stop funding your father's hospital stay."

Magnus froze.

"He'll die without life support, and it will be your fault."

"He's not going to wake up anyway."

"If you truly believed that, why did you keep working for me when you could have quit?"

Mangus shook his head, thinking.

"If that's not enough to make you stay, think of your friend Raphael. Do you want to end up like him? If you leave now, I will find you, and I will make you suffer as he is."

Jonathan and Sebastian got to their feet, smirking.

Magnus looked down. "What do you want?"

"I told you. You're the entertainment."

His eyes widened in fear. What were they going to do to him?

Valentine pulled him forward and pushed him in the direction of the other men. He could feel himself shaking.

Jonathan held him by the shoulders and started pushing him down. "Get on your knees," he hissed.

Magnus sank to the floor as Jonathan unzipped his pants.

 

 

He didn't attend classes for a week after that. Or go to work. Even he didn't have enough makeup to cover the bruises he was dealt. He didn't want anyone to see him like that.

Especially not Alec.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to him when there was a knocking at his door. There was no one else it could have been.

"Magnus? Magnus, I know you're in there. Open the door. Please? I haven't seen you in days."

Magnus didn't budge from his position on the couch.

"Magnus, please, talk to me."

He was still.

"Don't make me pick the lock. I've done it before."

He stood with a sigh and went to the door, cracking it open just a bit.

"I don't want to see you right now, Alec."

"Just let me in. Please. I can help you. You don't need to hide from me."

Magnus wordlessly went back to the couch but left the door open, silently inviting Alec inside.

When Alec saw the fading bruises around Magnus's face and neck, Magnus could practically see the flames in his eyes.

"Who did this to you?" His voice was rough, angry, but not at Magnus.

"It doesn't matter."

"Like hell it doesn't! Please, Magnus, let me help you."

"I don't need your help. I can take care of myself."

"Obviously you can't. And don't tell me you were mugged again because that was obviously a lie."

"I… I can't tell you."

Alec knelt in front of him and grabbed his hands. "You can trust me."

He was just about to get an answer out of Magnus when his phone started to ring.

Shit, he thought.

He looked at the phone but didn't recognize the number. Curiously, he pressed the green answer button.

"Alec Lightwood," he greeted. Magnus stiffened in front of him, though Alec didn't know why..

No one on the phone spoke. "Hello?" he said. No answer.

He hung up and looked back at Magnus, putting his hands on his knees. Magnus shot up off the couch and ran for the door. Alec caught his arm before he could make it.

"GET OFF! HELP! HELP!"

"Magnus! What's wrong? Tell me!"

Magnus was panting in fear, out of breath. "You're a Lightwood!"

Alec only looked at him in confusion. What did his last name have to do with anything?

"Magnus, I don't understand-"

"Ask your parents about your family business." His voice quivered.

Alec reached out to him, but Magnus backed into the wall, getting as far away from him as possible.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Magnus-"

"GET OUT!"

Alec backed up, trying to seem as least intimidating as possible, heading toward the door. When he left the apartment, all he could think about was the terrified look on his friend's face.

That, and what his parents could have possibly done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh anyone wanna guess what's going on? I love your comments!  
> See you next time ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you thought!  
> If you want to follow me on Tumblr, my url is theshadownworld.  
> Enjoy the new episode tonight!


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